


Bed Time

by GaHoolianGirl, iavenjqasdf, starduster



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-19
Updated: 2015-06-19
Packaged: 2018-04-05 04:53:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4166655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GaHoolianGirl/pseuds/GaHoolianGirl, https://archiveofourown.org/users/iavenjqasdf/pseuds/iavenjqasdf, https://archiveofourown.org/users/starduster/pseuds/starduster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Frederick has a secret...</p><p>(Not dirty. Disappointing, I know).</p><p>(Changed from Pillow Talk. Realized there was already a fic with that name)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bed Time

**Author's Note:**

> Started as a collab between iavenjqasdf and starduster, but I (GaHoolianGirl) helped clean up.

 The camp was deathly silent when Chrom finally bid his tactician farewell and departed her tent. He knew the albino would continue her reviews of the next day’s plans well into the early morning without him, and perhaps beyond. It wasn’t unheard of for her first visitor of the day to find her sprawled over a map or face-down in a book. The prince wondered if she ever really slept.

He yawned, pushing the thought aside, as he strolled towards his own quarters. It was only a short distance away, but he savored the solitude that came so rarely in the middle of a war camp. Crickets chirped lazily somewhere in the distance, breaking the silence along with the sound of grass trampled under his boots. The sky was clear and cloudless, and the young Exalt stopped to appreciate the twinkling beauty of the stars. As a child, he had gone up to the roof of the palace to try to pick out constellations, but now with more pressing matters on his mind, he could only see a vast, dark canvas dotted with points of light. But what a canvas it was...

He resumed his stroll, a cool spring breeze bringing the faint aroma of pine to his nose from a nearby grove. He detected a hint of something else… clover? Maple? Honey? Yes, it was definitely honey. Probably Gaius sneaking a midnight snack out of the mess tent he had been assigned to guard. Chrom had an inkling he was responsible for the shortage of sweetener in the past few days, but he held his tongue. Whatever the thief was doing lately, it was worth his suddenly renewed vigor and enthusiasm in the field.

The "whatever" he was doing was actually Stahl, of course. It was the worst kept secret in the camp.

The prince chuckled at the thought of them sharing a post-coital lollipop as he opened the flap to his tent as silently as he could manage. Fredrick was already asleep, snoring gently at the very far edge of the bed, considerate enough even in his slumber to leave plenty of room for his lord to lie down. Chrom had told him not to worry so much, insisting he make himself comfortable and that he was more than happy sleeping nuzzled against his knight’s broad chest, safe in his strong arms as he drifted off. Fredrick had gone a shade of crimson normally reserved for the stains foes left on his lance, but all his fears had melted away as he took his companion in his arms, feeling his chest rise and fall in time with his own, and he had quickly ceased objecting, not wanting to deprive himself of the little pleasures he could enjoy with his lover.

But tonight probably wasn’t going to be one of those nights, as Frederick was already fast asleep, dreaming of battling bears (or whatever it was he dreamt of… probably just doing his job). Chrom moved quietly about the room, setting his armor and sword on their stands and stripping out of his smallclothes.  His eyes were drawn to the well-muscled plane of Frederick’s back and the myriad scars strewn about it.  Battle scars, mostly, but most notable were the long, jagged ones running diagonally down his shoulders to his hip, a nasty reminder of the bear attack that had almost killed him as a child.

The prince gently slipped under the covers, grateful for the extra warmth he provided, and how at peace he felt around him, knowing the knight would sooner take an arrow to the heart than let any injury befall his lord. Frederick was curled in on himself, facing away, tucking his head into the pillow. Chrom smiled serenely at the sight of his sleeping lover.  They usually slept in each other's embrace, awakening in a tangle of limbs, Frederick’s strong arms wrapped tightly around him, but tonight they looked like they were clutching something else.

Chrom raised himself on one arm carefully to peek at the other side of the bed.

At first, it was difficult to make out what the object in Frederick’s grasp was, exactly; it was some kind of fabric, a cluster of patches and seams, almost like a quilt.  But it had shape, and as he leaned forward, resting his hand carefully on the man's shoulder, peering intently in the dark, it dawned on him.

It was a teddy bear.

He stifled a laugh. Frederick, the notoriously stoic Captain of the Yllisean Guard, sleeping with a stuffed animal? Sure, he had a gentle, even emotional side, and Chrom considered himself lucky to be one of the few he exposed it to, but a TEDDY BEAR? He felt another giggle, and this one he wasn't able to contain. The knight's eyes flew open almost immediately at the sound of Chrom's voice, ready to react to any dangers that may have caused him to exclaim. Chrom found it endearing that his voice could rouse him out of his otherwise deep slumber, though it made it a pain to speak to others late at night at times.

Frederick rolled onto his side, almost crushing his lover, who quickly tightened his grip on his shoulder. "At ease, Frederick. It's me." he whispered, feeling slightly guilty for interrupting the little sleep his knight got. Chrom felt the tension in the man's muscles fade after a moment, and he shifted in place so that he lied facing Chrom, still clutching the tiny bear to his chest.

Frederick snuggled back into the blankets, eyelids drooping with sleep, apparently oblivious that his secret had been exposed. “Milord... you've returned,” Frederick mumbled, reaching out with his free hand to pull Chrom against him, pinning the the bear in between them.

“I am,” Chrom purred, letting himself be squeezed against his lover.  “But it seems we’ve got a guest in our bed.”

Frederick was silent for a moment, taking a few seconds to process the words in his sleepy state. Then, as if he had been struck by lightning, he sprung back, staring at the bear tucked in the crook of his arm in shock, as if he wasn't aware it had been there.

“A-ah-”  Frederick’s face reddened, and Chrom watched him curiously as he scrambled for words, eyes darting between the toy and his face.  “This- this is…”

“A teddy bear, made from an old quilt,” Chrom finished, gently plucking it from Frederick’s arms. “It’s cute,” he reassured him, turning the worn-out thing in his hands.  “Lissa had one like it when she was younger.  One of the maids made it for her, and she slept with it until it was falling apart.”  He sighed, the memory of childhood fading, but remaining one of his last happy ones. “She’d just sew another patch on when a seam burst… it looked like some kind of monster by the time our parents made her get rid of it.”

Frederick fidgeted for a moment, watching as Chrom examined at the little toy with open curiosity.  

“My… my mother made this one for me, when I was a child,” Frederick explained, visibly uncomfortable, and he tentatively reached out to take the bear back.  “After the attack, I was bedridden for so long, but she was always at my side.  She had lots of time without much to do, so she took one of my sisters’ old quilts and sewed this.”  He let out an awkward chuckle, scratching his neck, visibly anxious as he continued. “I... didn’t find it very funny, seeing as how I had just been injured by a real bear, of course… I wanted to throw the damn thing out.” He took a small breath, and Chrom was surprised to see tears forming in the normally stoic man's eyes. “But after she passed, I… I could never bring myself to throw it out. It was the only thing I really had that reminded me of her.”

Frederick finally looked back up at Chrom, cheeks burning with embarrassment and barely holding back a trickle of tears. He hadn’t expected the conversation to take such an emotional turn, and he was surprised to see the lord smiling.  “That’s good,” Chrom murmured, settling down in the blankets and tugging Frederick back towards him.  “It’s good to keep memories like that. You can be stoic and brave when it's needed, but there's no shame in allowing yourself moments like this, Frederick.” he paused a moment before continuing. "Even I keep mementos... for sentimentality's sake."

Frederick looked at his lord in silence for a moment, words caught in his throat. He took a deep breath. “Milord, if it is my place to ask,  what is it that you allow yourself be sentimental about?”

Chrom’s response was immediate. “My sister...I keep her crown. It reminds me of her when I feel like I’m failing her.” His breathing shuddered. “I... need it rather often.” The mood in the tent had turned somber, crickets chirping quietly outside as they lay together in silence for a while.

Frederick finally broke the silence with a clearing of his throat, having gathered his thoughts. “Milord... if I may so bold, I believe that Lady Emmeryn would take pride in your actions thus far.” He was relieved to see Chrom smile bittersweetly, though it looked almost like a grimace in the dark of the tent.

“It’s reassuring to hear you think that, Frederick. After Emm... You were always the one I looked up to.”

Frederick felt pride well up in his chest at the confession. Pride as a knight, a protector, but also as a friend and a lover. “Milord...”

Chrom placed a gentle hand on his face, softly cradling his cheek as his thumb brushed away the moisture forming by his eye. “I understand your duty is paramount, but please... drop the title, if but for tonight.”

“Alright... Chrom.” The name felt unfamiliar, yet comfortable on his lips. Despite everything they’d been through and done together, calling him by his name felt intimate on a different level. He placed his hand over the one on his face, pressing it more firmly against his cheek as he closed his eyes. Chrom blushed at the tenderness of the gesture. He smiled once more, looking down at the stuffed toy.

“Does it have a name?”

Frederick opened his eyes once more, looking confused for a brief moment. “A name? No... it does not. I never saw a need.”

“Then why don’t we give it one? Together...” He managed to look Frederick the eye, embarrassed and coy, “Like parents?”

The thought sent a fresh flush of embarrassment though the knight. He understood that it was a meaningless gesture, probably just a joke, but the idea of being a parent with Chrom, his lord...it made him happier than it should have.

“Perhaps... Emily.” he suggested.

“I like that name." Chrom replied, smiling warmly. Frederick loosened his grip on the bear, allowing him to play with its limp arms. “Emily. Princess of Ylisse!” he giggled. Frederick felt a smile grow on his face at his liege's joy, even as a pang of mourning snagged in his heart.

“Actually... Emily... happened to the name of my mother,” he whispered, barely audible above the rustling of blankets and the chirps outside. The blood drained from Chrom's face immediately, his smile vanishing.

“Oh, gods. I’m- I’m sorry. I assumed...” He was interrupted by a strong arm gently gripping his shoulder, the knight's sharp eyes looking at him with uncharacteristic softness. There was no anger or resentment in Frederick's voice when he spoke, only gentleness, which only made it hurt even worse.

"It's alright. I can see how you'd reach that conclusion."

Chrom cringed deeply, clenching his eyes shut. How could he be so selfish as to assume it was named after his sister? How could he not know the names of his lifelong companion's parents? He knew the comment had stung more deeply than Frederick let on, and he murmured a stream of apologies. He hated to see Frederick so easily dismiss his emotions for the sake of appearances, knowing how much it must hurt. He appreciated his fealty, but...

“No, no. It’s a common tradition to be named after a grandparent. It's a great name.” he said, a sense of finality in his voice. He hated to use his power over Frederick, but if it was to help him, so be it. The man didn’t treat himself nearly as well as he treated everyone else, and it pained Chrom to see that. He opened his eyes and looked directly into the other man's. "And I have no doubts that Emily would be beyond proud if she were to see the man you've grown to be." he added.

He felt Frederick nod and pull him closer. "Thank you, Chrom." he whispered, the words bringing a peace he had craved for a long time. Chrom's heart fluttered momentarily at hearing him use his real name again. He tucked in the bear's paws and buried his head in the knight's chest, and soon both were dozing soundly, the night fading away, replaced with the sounds of their gentle breathing and visions of dreams in their minds.

**Author's Note:**

> Sooo? How it'd go? Go check out the other people involved~


End file.
